Richard s



(No Model.) I

R. S. GILLESPIE 8: H. JAMES.

PIPE WRENCH.

N0.461,7-50. Patented Oct. 20,- 1891.

UNITE -TATES ATENT FFICE.

RICHARD S. GILLESPIE AND HARRY JAMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PlPE-WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,750, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed June 25, 1891. Serial No. 397,460. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RICHARD S. GILLESPIE and HARRY JAMES, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Trenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple, strong, durable, and economical pipewrencli which will quickly release and grip a pipe or other cylindrical object as the wrench is oscillated or reciprocated in the arc of a circle of which the pipe is the center. To aocomplish this object ourinvention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved wrench, showing a portion of the han-' dle or lever broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation'of a modified construction. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line y y, Fig. 3; and Fig. dis a sectional side elevation showing another-modification.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use ourinvention, we will now proceed to describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein- The numeral 1 indicates a box or yoke frame having one end wall provided on its inner surface with a projecting pivot-bearin g 2, which, as here shown, is semicircular in cross-section and constitutes the support for I an oscillatory handle or lever 3, suitably constructed in its front edge with a semicircular cavity or recess 4, accurately fitting upon the pivotal bearing 2, all in such manner that the handle or lever can be oscillated to a limited extent upon the pivotal bearing as a center or fulcrum. The handle or lever is provided with a chamber 5, containing a pinion or gear 6, mounted on a transverse shaft or axle 7, which is supported at its extremities by the side walls of the chamber. A shank 8, provided with an overhanging toothed jaw 9, is arranged to slide between the rear edge of the handle or lever and the rear end wall of the box or yoke frame, and the front edge of the shank is provided with a series of teeth 10,

with which engage the teeth of the pinion or gear 6. The upper extremity of the handle or lever is formed or otherwise provided with a series of teeth or serrations 12, which 00- operate with the series of teeth or serrations 13, formed or otherwise provided on the jaw 9 of the bar or shank 8, so that if a pipe or other cylindrical object be inserted between the teeth or serrations 12 and 13 and the handle or lever 3 be swung in the direction of the arrow 14: such handle or lever will turn on the semicircular. or convex pivot-bearing '2 and cause the pinion or gear 6 to impart a handle or lever will turn on the pivot-bearing 2 and cause the pinion or gear 6 to operate the shank 8 for releasing the pipe to obtain a fresh grip thereupon. By means of the pivot-bearing 2 and the pinion or gear 6, carried by the handle or lever 3, we are enabled to move the sliding bar or shank up and down a sufficient distance to afford a positive grip andrelease; but when the handle or lever is in its normal position, as in Fig. 1, the bar or shank 8 can be freely raised or lowered its full length, because the pinion or gear can rotate on its shaft or axle.

In the modification, Fig. 3, the front edge of the handle or lever 3 is formed with a cam or wedge shaped portion 16 at the lower extremity of the semicircular cavity or recess 4, and the-handle orleveris hung upon a transverse pin or bolt 17, so that the handle or lever can be oscillated to a limited extent thereupon. The orifice 18 in the handle or lever is of a size somewhat larger than the diameter of the pin or bolt 17, and the rear edge of the handle or lever is formed or otherwise provided with a series of longitudinal teeth 19, the sides of which converge toward the rear end wall of the box or yoke frame 1. The

front edge of the sliding bar or shank Sis too formed or otherwise provided with a series of longitudinal teeth 20, the sides of which converge toward the handle or lever and bear against the converging sides of the teeth 19, all in such manner that when the handle or lever is swung in the direction of the arrow 21 the cam or wedge shaped projection 16, acting upon the semicircular pivot-bearing 2, forces the teeth 19 into engagement with the teeth 20, and thereby causes the sliding bar or shank 8 to move downward for the purpose of gripping a pipe or other cylindrical object between the teeth or serrations 12 and 13. hen the return stroke is imparted to the handle in the direction of the arrow 22, the gripping action of the wrench is released for the purpose of obtaining a fresh grip upon the pipe or other object. The peculiar construction of the teeth 19 and 20 on the converging sides, as described, prevents the teeth slipping upon each other under strain or pressure.

In the modification exhibited by Fig. 5 the handle or lever 3 is provided with a semicircular cavity or recess 4, accurately fitting the semicircular pivot-bearing 2 on the inside of the front end wall of the box or yoke-frame 1. The head of the handle or lever is constructed with a recess 23, in which is journaled a rotatable worm-gear Bl, meshinginto the teeth on the front edge of the sliding bar or shank 8, all in such manner that the worm-gear can be rotated for adjusting the jaw 9 to and from the teeth or serrations 12 on the handle or lever 3, while the positive grip and release is obtained through the movement of the handle or lever on the same principle as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3.

In the several constructions illustrated the front end wall of the box or yoke-frame is provided at its inner side with a pivot-bearing one wall provided at its inside with a pivot-bearing, a sliding bar or shank provided with a jaw, and an oscillatory handle or lever having one edge engaging the pivot-bearing and its opposite edge in toothed engagement with the sliding bar or shank, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a box or frame, an oscillatory handle or lever having a pivotal bearing within the box or frame and provided with a rotatable gear, and a sliding bar or shank provided with a jaw and in toothed engagement with the gear, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a box or frame, of an oscillatory handle or lever pivotally mounted in the box or frame and provided with a rotatable worm-gear, and a sliding bar or shank having a jaw and in toothed engagement with the worm-gear, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and afiixed our seals in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD s. GILLESPIE. [n 3. HARRY JAMES. LL. s.

Witnesses: H

Jos. A. BANKS, WM. A. SHEL'roN. 

